ABSTRACT
Children tend to learn more from what people do than what they say they should do. Noting the limitations, stumbles, and weaknesses of adults is fuel for their psychological growth. They are hypocrisy detectives and they do not need our help giving them ammo for their attack on alleged adult superiority. In the case of educators, with a purpose of helping them flourish, people need to do this deliberatively. Negative modeling is toxic, but the antidote is heartfelt apology. As Aristotle pointed out over two millennia ago, all adults who are around children will impact their character, whether people like it, intend it, or not. And a significant way people impact them is by what they model. Second, being a role model is not a personal choice. Many years ago, Charles Barkley, the Hall of Fame basketball player and now sports announcer, declared that he is not a role model.
